Milk Hauling Bill Approved by PA Senate

On June 26, 2013, the PA Senate approved a bill that will allow dairy haulers to obtain a permit from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to increase the weight of their shipments of milk to 95,000 lbs. The bill will amend the PA Vehicle Code (Title 75) to authorize overload permits for trucks hauling bulk fluid, condensed, and evaporated milk. Currently in Pennsylvania, dairy haulers can only ship 80,000 lbs. of milk at a time. Senator Gene Yaw introduced the bill, SB 1010, because he believes that Pennsylvania dairies are at a disadvantage compared to New York where shipping 95,000 lbs. at a time is legal. Senator Yaw stated that this bill will make PA dairies more competitive in the milk market.

The next step will be for the PA House’s Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee to consider the bill.

Written By Sarah Doyle - Research Assistant

The Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center

June 28, 2013